Alejandro Escovedo proves how intense he can be in concert

I’m still excited about an Alejandro Escovedo concert last week. He and backup singer/guitarist David Pulkingham were in total sync in an intense two-man performance that showed how rock – even punk – two acoustic guitars with amplification and pedals can be. Interesting counterpoint on their vocals.

At one point, they left the stage and their mics to go out into the audience and sing a few numbers standing right next to people. Nice personal touch.

Maybe it’s appropriate that Alejandro looked a bit like an Hispanic 1980s Elvis Costello. His lyrics reached from the immigrant experience to life at New York City’s infamous Chelsea Hotel. “Castanets” (which some people might think would be titled “I Like Her Better when She Walks Away”) got a totally different approach than he gave it on A Man under the Influence.